"Then what do you want me to help you with?" Ohm asked in a flat tone. Feng didn't hesitate. He turned and beckoned urgently toward someone standing nervously at the entrance. A tall, lanky man in a cream-colored suit, his hair almost entirely gray, stepped inside hesitantly. He was Guo Zhenhua, one of the board members from CK Group. As he approached, he bowed deeply and respectfully to Ohm, who was seated at the counter. "I'm Guo Zhenhua… Master…" Ohm raised his hand slightly in acknowledgment, his sharp eyes locking onto the newcomer. "What do you need me to help you with?" Zhenhua glanced at Feng as if seeking support, then gathered his courage and spoke with a trembling voice. "Can you help me get my money back, Master? That bastard Yong Chang scammed me out of everything I had!" Ohm frowned deeply and leaned forward quickly. "Hey! Do you think I'm some kind of debt-collecting thug or what?!" "I'm sorry!" Zhenhua bowed frantically. "I know you're a genius at predicting business outcomes, but right now I'm completely lost. I don't know what to do with that evil man anymore." His voice cracked as if he was about to cry. Ohm remained silent for a moment, shifting his gaze between Feng and Zhenhua before turning to Puerk, who was waiting for orders in the back. "Last time it was futures, now it's getting scammed by some con artist again… What should we do?" he asked Puerk. "Just help them, boss. Look at these old men they barely have any hair left on their heads. Just give them a hand," Puerk replied, pouting. "Fine. Then let's get to the kitchen," Ohm ordered loudly. Puerk snapped to attention. "Yes, boss!" Puerk responded energetically and disappeared into the kitchen. Ohm jumped down from the counter with surprising agility, tied on his stained apron, and took his position at the cutting board. As Puerk began preparing a large brass pot of simmering black chicken bone broth infused with dozens of herbs, along with orange and yellow star-shaped edible flowers, the rich, fragrant aroma wafted out and teased the noses of the desperate men waiting outside. Meanwhile, Ohm meticulously minced the pork tenderloin, mixing it with thinly sliced black truffles and Chinese wine. He then stir-fried the mixture in a cast-iron wok over roaring flames that shot up toward the ceiling with each vigorous toss. The pork turned a beautiful golden brown before he plated it and carefully wrapped it inside delicate pink lotus petals, arranging them into an elegant shape. Puerk, after finishing the broth, mixed glutinous rice flour with oil, let it rest, then kneaded and divided it into small portions. He skillfully carved dragon-scale patterns onto each piece before deep-frying them until they puffed up into golden, crispy dragon scales. Ohm prepared the dipping sauce using mead-infused vinegar mixed with red wine and finely grated ginger, pouring it into small elegant bowls. The luxurious dish was finally presented on the table: pink lotus petals wrapped around truffle-infused stir-fried pork, paired with crispy dragon-scale crackers, rich bone broth, and a delicate mead-flower vinegar dipping sauce all served on a traditional Thai khantoke tray with dry ice releasing swirling white mist underneath. "This is 'The Hidden Dragon Path' a dish that mimics the taste of betrayal. Available only at Roslom," Ohm announced, gesturing grandly toward the extravagant creation. Zhenhua stared in awe at the dish, which looked like something from the heavens. Yet its name carried the bitter taste of treachery. "Taste this beauty," Ohm said. Zhenhua picked up his chopsticks and carefully lifted a lotus petal. Suddenly, a holographic projection of complex financial charts burst forth from the petal like a maze, racing toward the mocking face of Yong Chang that appeared at the end of the path. "The pork hidden inside the lotus petal represents the truth concealed beneath a beautiful exterior," Ohm explained in a cold voice. "Your money was secretly transferred into Yong Chang's personal accounts, using your company's reputation as a shield." Both Zhenhua and Feng trembled violently, staring at the dish as if reliving their worst nightmares. The heavenly-looking food had transformed into a vision of hell. "Beauty, in the end, is merely the bitter taste of memories of being betrayed by the very people you trusted until you had nothing left," Ohm said, narrowing his eyes with a cold smile.
"And now... the hunt for the Great Scaled Sovereign has officially begun!" Ohm's voice thundered. Behind him, a flash of light projected a silhouette of a small creature leaping through the air, looking oddly heroic until...
"Uh, Boss? What the heck is a 'Scaled Sovereign'?" Pheuak poked his head out from the kitchen, looking genuinely confused.
Ohm froze mid-pose, his aura of cool confidence shattering instantly. He cut a side-eye at his troublemaking subordinate who had just ruined his grand moment. He rubbed his temples in exasperation.
"It's... it's just a fancy word for a Lizard, Pheuak. A tiny, tiny dragon. Get back in the kitchen!"
Post-chapter author note:
The menu and ingredients made with edible flowers were designed in collaboration with Flowers You Can Eat Thailand.